Sideways
by DawgHouse09
Summary: Short one-shot for the Hard/Loud/Fast challenge in the TL. After the war Hermione joins a band and disappears. What happens when she's discovered? Rated M for language and adult situations.


**A/N: This is a short one written for the Hard, Loud &amp; Fast challenge in the Teacher's Lounge. I wrote it while listening to Halestorm's Here's To Us, so blame them for my inspiration. The characters all belong to JKR, aside from my two OC band members. The bad writing is, unfortunately, all mine. **

**Rated M for language and intimations of adult situations. Sex, Drugs, &amp; Rock-n-Roll!**

...o0o...o0o...

She walked out onto the stage, hearing the roar of the crowd as Pistol Pete did his intro number on the drums. The beat was a steady funk groove and Rob "The Wolf" joined in on bass. By the time she reached her mike, the auditorium was bouncing and swaying to the improv'd music.

The lights were dim, and she could see the crowd well enough to see that it was packed. Standing room only. From the stage to the exits in the back, it looked like a sea of bodies cheering expectantly. When the stage lights came up, she held up her hands and spoke into the mike.

"Everyone knows how we start the show yeah?" she called out to the crowd. Wolf brought her a shot glass full of firewhisky. No one in the crowd knew of the potent drink, they only saw a shot glass of booze. She held the glass up.

"So here's the toast: Here's to you, here's to me! Best friends we'll ever be. But if we should ever disagree…" She paused and the crowd finished the toast. "… Here's to me!" And with that, Hermione Granger downed the shot of firewhisky and pulled on her guitar. The crowd went wild, and the band began to play. Hermione sang with abandon, throwing herself into the music. She joined with the crowd, her energy feeding them, and theirs strengthening her. The first song passed and she led them quickly into the band's second- the thumping rock beat that had propelled the band into stardom.

She'd already grown bored with the song, but the crowds loved it. The lyrics spoke of victory, of beating the odds and winning the day. She'd penned it with Harry's defeat of Voldemort on her mind. Hermione had poured so much emotion into her writing, and it still amazed her that she was able to bare herself so for the world. Amazing was a perfect word to use, considering just where she was and where she'd come from. After the battle of Hogwarts, she'd discovered the emotional release of writing.

The set was half finished, and Hermione saw Wolf bringing her another shot. She'd also developed a disturbing (to her) affinity for the burning drink. He grinned and took the mike.

"Alright Chi-town it's intermission time!" Wolf gave her a glass and held his own up. "Here's to staying single, seeing double, sleeping triple, and quadruple orgasms!" Hermione rolled her eyes and downed her shot amidst the cheers and jeers of the crowd.

The second half of the set plowed through a range of emotions until the final song began. Hermione was used to the emotions the song brought out, but they still seemed to squeeze at her heart.

_"Here's to you, here's to me, here's to all that we should be,_

_ For all the highs, for all the lows, before the whole world goes,_

_ I'll give you my all and we can fall in love until last call_

_ So let's drink the drinks and sing the songs _

_That take us back to where we belong_

_Here's to you, here's to me and all that we should be"_

After she'd finished the song, she gave the crowd a grand flourishing bow and turned to leave the stage. That's when the eyes caught her. Those eyes. She'd once waxed poetic about his emerald green eyes, but it had been ages since she'd seen them. But there they were, boring into hers, waves of emotions pouring between them. She reluctantly nodded to the security and allowed him through. He followed the band quietly, as if judging the group against the friendships of the past.

Pete smirked. "Looks like you found a lost puppy, there Granger. Does he play fetch?" He twirled a drumstick in his fingers and suddenly it stopped, pointed at Harry. "What do you want, lad?"

Harry scoffed. "I want to talk to Hermione." He brushed the drumstick aside and looked at her. "Long time no see."

They reached the lounge and Wolf poured a round of drinks. Thankfully there weren't any backstage pass VIP's crowding the room. They were alone, and could relax their guard. With a wave of his hand, the drinks floated around the room. "Yeah, we're all magical," he answered the question in Harry's eyes. "And we all know who you are, mate. So why don't you say your piece and run on home."

Hermione sipped the drink, subconsciously analyzing the ingredients. There was the usual firewhisky, along with the American bourbon. She tasted a trace of potion as well, and cocked her eyebrow at the man.

"Pepper-upper, and liquid cheering charm," he answered.

Hermione returned her gaze to Harry. She waited, wanting him to speak first. After a moment of staring, he broke. "What happened, Hermione?"

She took another drink, feeling the potion mixing with the alcohol and warm her insides. "What, Won-Won didn't tell you?" His scowl told her that he knew. "So I left. Couldn't fix my parents, couldn't fix my love life, and I couldn't stand to watch you live happily ever after as I circled the drain. I wrote. Pete and Wolf found me down around Southampton and taught me music. Found that I have a talent for it." She shrugged.

The door opened and security let in a handful of fans, putting the conversation on hold. It was some time later before Harry cornered her alone. Pete was entertaining a couple of groupies and Wolf was dazzling a group with his juggling.

"Hermione, I didn't mean to flaunt my relationship with Ginny in your face. I'm sorry for what Ron did." Harry tried to smile. "So's he, but I'm past caring."

Hermione growled. "He fucked up. I'm done with him."

"So am I." Harry agreed. "But I miss my friend- you."

"You have a friend- a lifelong friend, companion, soul mate, whatever," Hermione took a long pull on the drink in her hand.

"Actually…"

"Oh, fuck me sideways Harry don't tell me you broke up with Ginny?!"

Harry laughed bitterly. "Well, I had good reason. Seems like some of the Weasley's have a family tradition."

"Really?"

Harry nodded. "Yep. And I have to tell you, the cursing- it's cute coming from you. 'Fuck me sideways?' Where did you hear that?"

"Keep mocking me and I'll fuck you sideways, Potter," Hermione growled, but her eyes were playful.

"Promises, promises," Harry countered.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, the great Harry Potter, flirting! I never thought I'd see it happen."

"Oh that wasn't flirting, that was teasing." Harry answered. "This is flirting…" He leaned into her space and breathed in her scent, whispering in her ear. "You've gotten hot since you left. You always were attractive, but the rocker chick look is a very good one for you." His eyes traveled up and down over her figure. "Very sexy."

Hermione couldn't help the shiver his words gave her. She hid it with another gulp of her drink. The music playing in the corner thumped through the room. Pete saw her and his eyes questioned her. She smiled and tipped her glass at him. She wondered what potions he spiked his drinks with this time. Wolf tended to stick with energy boosting, entertainment potions. Pistol Pete was different; his tastes ranged from simple pepper-uppers to stamina potions and other performance aids.

She eyed Harry, wondering if he would need any of those potions. It had been months since she'd had any release, and she'd once been accustomed to scratching that particular itch quite regularly. Ever since they'd started touring stateside she'd lost interest in playing _those_ games. Perhaps she was prejudiced against Americans, but most of the ones she met were drunkards, fame/fortune leeches, or sex maniacs.

"So how did you find me?" She asked, hoping to steer the conversation to safer waters.

Harry smiled easily. "I'm an Auror. I hunt people for a living."

"Okay then, why did you find me?"

"I told you- I missed you."

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't stay any longer; everything was too painful."

He nodded. "I understand. After Ginny, I didn't want to stay either. I just didn't have the guts to do a runner like you did." The cd switched to another song, this one a slow, sexy number by another female-led band.

Hermione grinned impulsively and took Harry's hand, dragging him away from the wall far enough to dance. "Come on, Potter. You did the teasing and the flirting; now you get to do the dancing." She pulled him close and shivered at his nearness. Once again Pete caught her eyes and he smirked. Hermione realized that she must have been drinking one of his drinks, judging by the physical reaction she was having for the man in her arms. She blew a fake kiss to the drummer and turned so that she was focused on Harry.

"Oh, Harry, relax, it's not a waltz."

Harry smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, all the dancing I know is from the Yule Ball back in the day."

Hermione grinned and whispered in a sultry voice. "Think of it like this, Potter. Dancing is merely a vertical expression of a horizontal desire…" She pulled him closer and began to grind against him, watching as understanding dawned in his eyes. The music led them together and soon he'd relaxed enough to let the rhythm guide him. One leg slid between hers, his thigh and hers dangerously close to unexplored territory. She felt his hand on her bum, and allowed him to close that last, short distance.

Their lips met. Hermione was almost disappointed that the earth didn't quake nor were there explosions of fireworks. Granted, he was a good kisser, but the mythical earth-shattering first kiss seemed to be just that- a myth. They made out and ground against each other hungrily until the song ended. When it did, Harry pulled back and looked in her eyes.

"Hermione, what are we doing?"

"Something we should have done at that bloody Yule Ball," she answered, pulling him in for a second round. This time, the earth did move. She moaned and led Harry to the door and they stumbled into one of the band's vans, the driver taking them to the hotel while they sat in the back. Hermione sat astride Harry's lap, grinding herself against him hungrily.

She barely remembered arriving at the hotel, but the elevator ride was delightful as she pulled Harry's hand down the front of her jeans and inside her panties. They made it to the hotel room and she unlocked the door, pushing him inside roughly and finally opening herself to emotions that she'd bottled off for far too long.

As the door closed, she whispered huskily, "Now, Mister Potter, play your cards right and you may actually get to fuck me sideways…"


End file.
